radicalducati Page 7
Page 7
puff!
A mouthful of black blood, with faint traces of needles, made Ji Yaohua's expression relax, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you very much, Master An!"
As the poisoned blood and needles were forced out, Ji Yaohua, though still pale, felt much more confident.
An Yunshan picked up the softened needle, his brow furrowing as he said gravely:
"Even I couldn't insert such a tiny needle into your body from five zhang away."
This golden-faced Buddha is no ordinary being; we must not act rashly in the future.
An Yunshan possessed extremely high internal strength; his energy could tear a person apart from five zhang away with his own.
Even with such fine and soft hairs, he couldn't possibly pierce someone's body like a silver needle from five zhang away.
This is the difference between quantity and quality.
Vast as the boundless ocean, sharp as the unparalleled edge of a sword.
"Is this golden-faced Buddha really that troublesome?"
An Shigeng, standing to the side, found it hard to believe.
It should be noted that the Golden-Faced Buddha had always lived in seclusion behind the scenes of Ghost Street, acting as a cunning strategist.
If the other party possesses such formidable strength, they could easily subdue the major leaders of Ghost Street and firmly control Ghost Street.
It should be understood that the profits in Ghost Street are so great that they encompass almost the entire underground market of Lin'an Prefecture.
Over the years, it has also taken in many outlaws and indirectly controlled the black markets in many places, making it an extremely powerful force.
They settled down and were also one of the underworld bosses.
However, like the Zhang family, neither the An family nor the Zhang family publicly stepped forward.
Even though An Shigeng was the God of Wealth, he believed that the other members of the Nine Gates did not know his identity, including the Golden-Faced Buddha behind Ghost Street.
After all, the An family is a philanthropic family with an excellent reputation, and it's impossible for them to get involved in this mess.
"How is the Zhang family's situation?"
“Zhang Yuan is a cunning old fox. Our people can’t infiltrate him at all, and the people we bribed can’t access the Zhang family’s core secrets.”
"waste!"
An Yunshan glanced at An Shigeng, somewhat displeased.
An Yunshan had been coveting the Zhang family for quite some time.
However, the Zhang family's secrecy was so good that not only the An family, but countless people who coveted the Zhang family's secrets all returned empty-handed.
The Zhang family's soap and glass production base was extremely well-hidden.
"But it's not your fault, Zhang Yuan is extremely difficult to deal with."
I heard his son, Zhang Xiaoshan, is back. Perhaps we can start with him. Don't let this opportunity slip up.
"Yes, father!"
An Shigeng has also been collecting information about the young master of the Zhang family during this period, and his information on Zhang Xiaoshan is extremely detailed.
However, Zhang Xiaoshan's disappearance has remained a mystery for the past five years.
Chapter Eight: Ten Thousand Merits, Unparalleled Jade
[Host: Zhang Xiaoshan]
Reputation: Buddha of Ten Thousand Families
True Qi: Early Stage of Innate Realm (Power of Seven Cauldrons)
Talent: Copper Skin and Iron Bones, All Meridians Open
Martial arts: Golden Cauldron Iron Shirt, Nine Cauldrons Mountain and River Fist, Heavenly Crippled Kick, Nine Yin Manual (incomplete), Iron Shirt, Taizu Long Fist, Bajiquan...
Merit: 138254 (+1, +1, +1...)
Items: Dragon-Subduing Wood (Enhanced), Meteorite Spearblade (+), Meteorite Folding Fan (+), Meteorite Copper (+)
Another month or so has passed.
After the Zhang family's dozen or so bushels of grain arrived in the disaster area, Zhang Xiaoshan watched as his accumulated merits grew, now exceeding one hundred thousand.
This means that the Zhang family directly saved as many as 100,000 people.
Moreover, his reputation as a living Buddha among ten thousand families is renowned throughout the nine provinces.
As for the '+' after the meteorite iron spear and meteorite iron folding fan, they require 1,000 merit points to upgrade, which is roughly the same level as the Dragon Subduing Wood.
The '+' after "meteorite" indicates two ways to enhance it:
First, 10,000 merits will strengthen the meteorite copper on the fan pendant; second, 100,000 merits will strengthen the entire bronze jade pendant.
Therefore, it is clear that the meteorite copper does not belong to this area.
Zhang Xiaoshan didn't think that overall strengthening was worthwhile.
Keep in mind that it only took him 10,000 merit points to break through to the Innate Realm.
If he hadn't just recently broken through to the Seven Cauldrons Realm and hadn't yet reached its peak, he would be eager to continue breaking through to the Eight Cauldrons Realm.
Spending 100,000 merits to enhance the meteorite copper, whose purpose is unknown, will at most only strengthen illusion magic.
"Reinforced Gunblade, Folding Fan, Meteorite (Small)!"
Zhang Xiaoshan looked at the merit points, which were just over 100,000, and realized that it was more than enough to strengthen these items.
As for the 100,000 merits, Zhang Xiaoshan had other uses for them.
With three soul-cleansing chimes, a mysterious, serene light descended, enhancing the equipment.
In Zhang Xiaoshan's eyes, the Dragon Subduing Spear, which was originally somewhat incongruous, gradually had its dragon patterns integrated into one as the blade was strengthened, transforming into a long and imposing spear.
Become!
Looking at the Meteorite Dragon Spear, it is more than perfect compared to before.
The dragon-taming wood was split in two with the spear blade. The spear blade was completely black, and the previously faint sharpness had completely disappeared.
The meteorite iron folding fan has also undergone a complete transformation.
Not only is the appearance much more refined and elegant, small and exquisite, but the meteorite iron fan ribs of the folding fan are also like gun blades, no longer ferocious, but with their sharpness restrained.
Once infused with innate true qi, it will generate a sword beam of one and a half feet, which can be transformed into a short sword for use.
However, what shocked Zhang Xiaoshan the most was the meteorite pendant.
The artifact enhanced with 10,000 merits originally possessed the special effect of preventing corpses from decaying and ancient trees from dying.
At this point, the meteorite pendant also gained the ability to maintain eternal youth.
It’s incredible!
If she were to wander the martial arts world, I'm afraid all the female masters would go crazy for her.
···
"Shan'er!"
With a joyful exclamation, Zhang Yuan, who had become quite plump over the years, walked in.
Looking at Zhang Yuan, who was dressed in gold and silver and looked like a nouveau riche, no one would guess from his appearance that Zhang Yuan was a top-notch martial arts master.
Even Zhang Xiaoshan didn't expect this.
Four years ago, after Zhang Xiaoshan handed over the Golden Tripod Iron Shirt and the Tendon-Changing Bone-Forging Manual to Zhang Yuan, Zhang Yuan practiced them in his spare time and his physique became increasingly round.
There was not a trace of external martial arts training on his body.
Zhang Yuan's weapon, however, was his ever-present abacus.
This was an essential calculator for ancient merchants, and the gold bullets on it were dense and heavy, with extremely strong destructive power; if one were to touch them, the result would be broken bones and tendons.
"father!"
Zhang Xiaoshan didn't feel any sense of incongruity looking at Zhang Yuan. Over the years, Zhang Yuan had given him everything he had.
Even the fact that Zhang Yuan hasn't taken a concubine all these years is all for his sake.
After all, having another child would bring more uncertainty to the ever-growing Zhang family.
Therefore, Zhang Yuan has always been single.
"Master Juexin!"
Looking closely at Zhang Yuan's bodyguard, he was a burly monk, about eight feet tall, with stern and imposing eyes, and a resolute and sharp demeanor. He was none other than Juexin, the former head of the Arhat Hall of the Southern Shaolin Temple.
Juexin was proficient in the seven Shaolin martial arts techniques—Prajna Palm, Subduing Demon Staff, Arhat Subduing Tiger Fist, etc.
When he emerged from the mountain, his Golden Bell Shield had reached the ninth level.
Over the years, with the support of the Zhang family, Juexin's Golden Bell Shield has reached the tenth level, the indestructible state.
He possesses exceptional external martial arts skills, placing him on par with Zhuge Zhengwo and An Yunshan in terms of strength.
"Amitabha Buddha, it's been a long time since we last met, young benefactor Zhang!"
Juexin bowed to Zhang Xiaoshan.
First, I want to thank Zhang Xiaoshan for his guidance over the years, which helped him to gain enlightenment from Buddhist scriptures;
Secondly, the Zhang family's donation of grain for disaster relief is a great act of merit and deserves his respect.
Especially as Zhang Yuan's personal bodyguard, Juexin knew that the merits accumulated by the Zhang family over the years were genuine.
Even if the Zhang family had ulterior motives, they did it, regardless of their initial intentions.
"Master, how have you been?"
Zhang Xiaoshan also held Juexin in high esteem.
It should be noted that over the years, it has been Juexin and others who have been protecting Zhang Yuan's safety.
Even Juexin and others are increasingly feeling a sense of belonging to the Zhang family, and they have a good chance of becoming Zhang family retainers, which is definitely a bargaining chip.
Stepping into the study, I was greeted by a bright, shimmering light.
At this moment, the old steward, Uncle Yang, also came in, carrying an account book in his hand.
"Master, young master, these are the recent income and expenditure ledgers of Lin'an Prefecture."
"Uncle Yang, put it here."
"Yes, Master."
The account books were set aside; the Zhang family father and son still trusted Uncle Yang.
Moreover, even if these ledgers were falsified, it would be a case of penny-wise and pound-foolish, a loss that would outweigh any gain, unless there was a one in ten thousand error.
At this moment, Zhang Yuan looked at the young man Zhang Xiaoshan, took out a piece of Hetian jade from his pocket, and chuckled:
"This is a peerless piece of jade that I found within the territory of the Ming Dynasty!"
According to your plan, this rough gem won't need any polishing; its value will increase exponentially.
A peerless gem?
Zhang Xiaoshan took the jade and examined it curiously.
At that time, the jade was not mainly the jadeite and ruby of later generations, but Hetian jade, also known as Kun jade.
Even the finest imperial green jade of the glassy type is ten times more valuable than a small piece of mutton fat jade; they are incomparable.
Because Hetian jade is also considered the jade of a gentleman.
This piece of raw jade is a Hetian jade seed, with a delicate texture and a white color like mutton fat.
Although it's called mutton fat jade, Zhang Xiaoshan has a piece of mutton fat jade pendant of extremely high quality at his waist. Compared to it, especially considering Zhang Xiaoshan's enhanced facial features, one can feel that this unpolished jade is even better, surpassing the level of mutton fat jade.
Moreover, when you hold it in your hand, a cool and gentle aura enters your body, giving you an indescribable feeling.
Jade nourishes the body in the best way.
At least Zhang Xiaoshan felt that wearing this jade for a long time would bring him great benefits.